The world seemed to be all aglow. There was a song in her heart and a skip in her step as Crystal walked to the Phial and Filly, and she could swear the birds were even singing as she passed by them. All she needed was for the stallions and mares around her to break out into song but, when she glanced around, nopony seemed to be in as good a mood as her. A spontaneous song and dance was likely not going to happen.
"Hello!" she called when she walked into the shop. There were a few other ponies browsing the wares, so she started toward the counter but Runic met her halfway with a determined look on his face. "Runic?"
"Shh, it's not safe!" He grabbed her by the hoof and tugged her toward the back of the shop and behind the counter. "Somepony's watching us."
Crystal glanced around, or at least she tried to before he forced her to look at him with a hoof against her cheek. "No, no, if they catch you looking, they'll know we're on to them. Try to look casual."
"Okay, but that might be difficult."
Runic frowned. "Why?"
"Because you're caressing my cheek." She giggled as Runic quickly withdrew his hoof, then she put on a serious face and asked in a whisper, "So who is watching us?"
"I don't know, but look at this!" He retrieved a magazine from the counter and held it up for her to see.
Crystal's magic took it from him, but she already knew. Mares Monthly. Her throat went dry as she tried to say calmly, "What's this?"
Runic tapped on the article facing her. "This! It's clearly an account of you and me in the changeling attack, but there weren't any other ponies there! So either we're being watched, or one of those changelings escaped and is trying to cash in!"
Crystal stared at the article, then lowered the magazine to stare at him. She said in a near-whisper, "I wrote it."
Runic slammed a hoof on the counter. "Darn, dirty changelings! That must be it! Writing as though they were on our side of the door, terrified for their life—"
"Runic."
"—when we were on that side, sending their hides to Tartarus and back! We were the heroes, not this—this—this—What?" He blinked, his gaze focusing on her. "You said something?"
Crystal nodded.
Runic took a moment, then slowly, his ears started to droop. "You wrote this?" He took the magazine out of her magic and skimmed the page. "But we were valiant warriors! This makes it sound like you were scared." His gaze returned to her. "You were scared?"
Crystal swallowed and nodded again. "I was. It gave me nightmares, Runic."
"Oh." He set the magazine down. "I didn't know that."
She reached out to set her hoof on his shoulder. "It's okay. Honestly, I'm fine now. Writing this and talking about it to some friends made it better. I haven't had any nightmares since I turned this article in, so, it's fine."
Runic looked at her with a stern frown. "No, it's not fine. Why didn't you talk to me? Aren't I your friend, too?"
"We are! Absolutely!" She shook her head. "I just—You seemed fine after the attack, so I didn't want to bring you down."
Runic sighed. He turned from her to face the counter, staring down at the magazine, still open to her article. "Can you do me a favor?"
She bit her lower lip nervously but nodded. "I can."
"Next time, could you talk to me, too?" He glanced at her. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I know I'm not normal, but we're still friends. I can be serious once in a while, you know."
"I know." She smiled and wrapped her forelegs around him. "I'm sorry, Runic. I promise I'll make sure you're one of the first ponies I talk to when I have a problem, okay?"
Runic nodded and leaned into the embrace, then pulled back with a grin. "So, got any problems?" Her face turned red and he pressed, "Ah, troubles with a stallion, eh?" He reached under the counter and retrieved two shot glasses and a bottle of hard cider. "As a stallion myself, I can't relate at all, but I can listen!"
"Runic—" She sputtered with laughter and put a hoof on his to stop him from pouring the cider. "Runic, it's all right. I think I'll keep this problem to myself."
"Aww." His ears drooped. "But you just said I'd be one of the first ponies!"
Crystal winked. "Maybe not for this kind of problem, all right? Now, I think what we should discuss is why you're reading Mares Monthly in the first place."
"Oh, this isn't mine." He frowned when she raised a suspicious brow at him. "It isn't! Miley brought it here asking who the mare was. Of course, I had no idea it was you, so I told her I didn't know. Strangely, she seemed like she didn't believe me!" He sighed. "Relationships are complicated."
"They are." She sighed and shook her head, starting over to the nearest selection of shampoo. "But Miley is a good mare, so you better not make her cry."
"Why would I do that?" He blinked.
"Not intentionally, of course, but stallions have a tendency to make mares cry." Her back to him, she allowed her smile to fall. "Or want to, at least. Nonetheless, be good to her, all right?" She turned back to him with a bottle of cherry blossom and rose petal shampoo. The smile was back in place. "Anyway, I'll take this, please."
Runic smiled and hit a few buttons on the register. "Seven bits, please!"
♡
Crystal and Velvet sat across from each other, both staring with determined expressions, neither seeming to give any ground on the matter at hoof.
Finally, slowly, Velvet laid down a card and, when Crystal huffed, she cheered. "I win! I win, right? That sound means I win!" She clapped her hooves. "I think I'm finally getting the hang of this!"
Crystal grumbled as she shuffled the Carrot cards around into the appropriate piles. "You blended all my carrots and stored a lot of yours, so yes, you definitely won." She sighed as she rose to her hooves. "All right, you decide what we're having for breakfast while I go wash up. Give my poor, innocent carrots a proper burial while you put the game away, okay?"
Velvet cackled gleefully as she held up the pink Carrot cards that had been saved. "We should play Carrots in a Blender at game night! I can win this game!"
Crystal laughed, walking toward the bathroom door. "I think this game might be a little too simple for Luna and the others."
"Hey!" Velvet frowned. "You're just mad 'cause I won. Simple things can be fun, too, you know."
"Yes, yes." Crystal giggled and shut the door behind her. She hummed to herself and started the hot water, letting the tub fill up while she sat on the stool in front of the mirror. "Let's see."
Crystal tugged on her cheeks then pushed them up. Mostly satisfied with the quality of her coat, she tied her mane up into a loose bun before walking over to and climbing into the tub. "Hot, hot, hot."
Once she had adjusted to the heat and the water had risen to fill half the tub, she turned off the faucet. She hummed to herself while she bathed, scrubbing her coat with a loofah, then applying some of Runic's patented coat shine formula.
Her ear twitched at the sound of three knocks followed by Velvet's voice. "Oh! Hello, Silent Knight!" Crystal gasped and Velvet continued, "Won't you come in?"
"Oh, no, no," Crystal muttered under her breath. She pulled the stop and jumped out onto the mat, shook out her coat, and quickly wrapped a bath robe around her body.
"What can I do for you?" Velvet asked from the other room. Crystal heard the door shut and hooves moving across the hardwood floors.
"No, no, no." Crystal looked at her wet, bedraggled self in the mirror. "Not like this!"
"I can't say too much," Silent replied, "but I'm leaving for a mission. I'll be gone for quite a while so I wanted to say goodbye to Crystal Wishes. And, of course, you, now that I know you're home."
"Two friends in one visit!" Velvet giggled. Her hoofsteps drew near. "I'll get Crystal. She's just getting ready for the day. You know how she can be about that. Make yourself at home!"
The door opened and Crystal plastered herself against the vanity. Velvet clamped a hoof over her mouth to keep from laughing at the terrified look she received.
"Shut the door," Crystal hissed and once it was, she whispered, "I can't let him see me like this!"
"Of course you can." Velvet rolled her eyes. "You want to spend forever with this stallion, don't you?"
Crystal turned back around to continue patting her coat dry with a hooftowel. "Ideally, yes, but that won't happen if he sees me looking like a mess!"
Velvet reached out and snatched the towel from her. "He'll see you looking like a mess sooner or later, so why not just get it over with?" She pointed at the door. "He said he's leaving. Get out there and say goodbye to your stallion."
Crystal hesitated. She just stared at her reflection and blinked when her vision started to go blurry. "Goodbye." She swallowed, looking over at Velvet. "Temporarily, right? This isn't goodbye forever?"
Velvet simply shrugged. Crystal sighed, tucked some of the loose strands of her mane behind one ear, and opened the door. "I am terribly sorry that you have to see me like this," she said as she walked out into the main room. "Velvet says you're leaving?"
Silent looked up from the pillow he was sitting on. "You look fine to me, Crystal Wishes, but Velvet is correct. Duty calls. I'll be gone a month at the minimum, but it depends on how things go." He smiled softly. "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to you and Velvet. It would feel wrong to just disappear."
Crystal and Velvet sat on the pillows across from him. Crystal didn't quite meet his gaze while Velvet said, "That's awfully kind of him, don't you think?" She nudged Crystal to bring her back to reality.
Crystal blinked a few times, then nodded. Her expression remained cautiously neutral. "Is there trouble? More importantly, Silent Knight, do I need to be worried for your safety?"
Silent shifted and looked down at the floor. "I apologize. I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not at liberty to go into those details."
Crystal swallowed. He might as well have outright said yes with that kind of reply. "I understand. Procedure, and all that."
Velvet reached out and put a hoof on Crystal's, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"I'm glad you understand." He smiled. "I can't stay long, and I don't want to take up your time anyway. What I really came here to ask was, well." He hesitated just a moment before he continued, "I wanted to ask if I could write to you while I'm on this mission." He glanced between them "And Velvet, too, of course."
"Yes!" Crystal's spirits lifted at the idea. "Absolutely. We would love to stay in touch, though I'm not quite certain how that would work."
"That is something I can share. By the time my letter would arrive, it would be from where I was, not where I am, because we will be moving a great deal. However, if you just postmark your responses to that location, royal agents will handle the details of secretly forwarding it to my new location."
Velvet oohed. "That's neat!"
"And efficient," Crystal added.
Silent nodded and stood up. "I'll send you a letter when I arrive safely. For now, however, I have an appointment, so I will let the two of you get back to what you were doing. It's always a pleasure to see you both." He smiled, looking between them. "When I return, I'd love to celebrate my first successful mission."
"That sounds wonderful," Crystal said, standing with him. "Please stay safe, Silent Knight."
"And have safe travels!" Velvet chimed in. "Make sure you get a window seat if you're traveling by train. I learned that the hard way."
"I will, and I'll keep that in mind. Thank you both." He nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.
When it clicked shut, Crystal collapsed back down onto the pillow. "It's dangerous," she whispered, her wide eyes staring at nothing in particular. "I know it's dangerous. What if he doesn't come back?" Her vision blurred and her eyes stung. "What if that first letter never arrives?"
Velvet moved closer to her and wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders. "Hey, he's a pegasus, isn't he? They're born-and-bred warriors. He's a tough one, too. Come on, now." Velvet's ears drooped when Crystal's lower lip started to tremble. "Don't cry, Crystal. You're going to make my little bit of news really hard to take if you cry now."
"Little bit of news?" Crystal sniffed. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "What? What now?" She glared up at Velvet. "Don't tell me you're going to leave for a month or two or three or forever."
"No, nothing like that just—" Velvet hedged, biting her lower lip. "You know, like, two weeks. Again."
Crystal froze. "Again?" she repeated in a whisper.
Velvet nodded.
"Oh." Crystal dropped her head down to bury it against her forelegs. "Great. So everypony's leaving!"
"Well, yes, but." Velvet rubbed her back. "You could always come with me. I mean, you can write on the road, you're on summer break, and Silent Knight won't be here, so, why not?"
Crystal straightened up. She stared at Velvet with a furrowed brow. Words failed her as her mouth flapped open and shut a few times, then she finally asked, "Can I do that?"
"Sure! I mean, we'll have to buy a train ticket for you, and I don't know if I can get you into the performances, so you might be spending a lot of time by yourself, but at least you won't be alone by yourself. That's better than sitting here moping, right?"
Crystal let her gaze wander the condo. So much of her life lately was spent there, at the castle, or at school—all of which were in Canterlot.
"What are the cities you'll visit?" she finally asked.
"All the major ones!" Velvet replied cheerfully. "Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Baltimare, and Manehattan!" She grinned and nudged Crystal's side with her elbow. "You'll be more worldly. That's good for an author, isn't it? Come on, say you'll come with me! I can show you the world!"
A small giggle escaped Crystal. "Okay, okay, okay. I'll do it. Just get me a copy of the schedule so I can ask Zerox to forward Silent's letters while we're gone if he sends any."
"When he sends any. For a romantic, you're being awfully pessimistic." Velvet stood up and trotted to the kitchen. "I'll make breakfast while you get your affairs in order, because we're leaving in three days."
"Three days?!" Crystal jumped to her hooves. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?! Celestia above, Velvet!"
Velvet looked over her shoulder with a lopsided grin. "I don't know, because I kept forgetting to bring it up? My world doesn't revolve around you, you know."
"Like hay it doesn't!" Crystal stuck her nose in the air. "I'm going to go finish putting myself together, and then we're going to have a nice, long talk about communication."
"Okay, okay." Velvet giggled and turned one of the stovetop burners on. "Go make yourself pretty, silly mare."
Crystal huffed and walked into the bathroom, shutting it with an exaggerated, playfully irritated slam.
♡
It shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did, but she had to stop and stare for a few moments. The whole office was pink: pink carpet, pink table, pink cups, and pink wallpaper with darker pink hearts.
"You really like pink, don't you?" Crystal asked in a voice between disbelief and awe.
"Yup!" Lovey chirped, her head bobbing from side to side. "It's my favorite color!"
"I see that." Crystal looked around one more time before she sat down on a pink pillow. "Anyway, thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice when I don't have an appointment."
Lovey waved the notion away. "Oh, no, no! Anything for a brand new friend!" She glanced down, stared a moment, then looked back up. "Everything looks good to me, though! Love line's nice and strong, just like it was before."
Crystal touched her hoof to her chest and looked for herself. She saw nothing but the fluff of her coat, where it was slightly upturned at the base of her neck. "Are you certain? Absolutely certain? Silent Knight is leaving, and I have this awful feeling that something might happen to him because he couldn't say whether or not it was dangerous. Of course, that means it must be!"
Crystal sniffed as the tears threatened to return and finished in a mumble, "If something is going to happen to him, I wouldn't have a love line, right?"
Lovey listened in silence, a serious look on her normally happy face. It contrasted greatly with the sweetness of her voice as she said, "I'm sorry, Crystal, but you told me you didn't want spoilers. I don't know where your love line leads, but it leads to somepony, I can tell you that. I just can't promise you that it's the stallion you think it is."
Crystal looked across the table at her. They held each other's gazes before Crystal finally relented and stood up. "I'll just have to be happy knowing that, I suppose. I'm sorry to take up your time."
"If I can make you feel a teensy bit better, then I'm happy to have my time taken up!" Lovey reached over and patted her on the head. "You'll be okay, Crystal. I can tell you that."
Crystal wasn't exactly comforted by the head patting, but she smiled nonetheless and turned for the door. "Have a good day, Lovey."
"I will! You, too!" Lovey waved. "Bye, now!"
Velvet looked up from where she sat outside Lovey's office when Crystal walked out. "So?" She smiled, albeit hesitantly. "How did it go?"
"She said my love line's still strong." Crystal sighed. "Well, we have a train to catch, don't we?"
"We've got some time if you want to talk on the way." She stood and walked alongside her in the direction of the station. "What does 'strong' mean, exactly?"
Crystal shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea, but she says it like it's a good thing, so I have to assume that it is."
"I see," Velvet said in a tone that suggested she didn't. They walked to the station in silence, Velvet perking up when she saw the other mares in her troupe. "Hey, girls!" She pranced ahead to reach them first. "This is my roommate, who will be hitching a ride with us this trip. Crystal, these are the girls!"
Crystal smiled and politely nodded her head. "It is very nice to meet you all."
A nearby unicorn stepped forward, as if to put herself between them and the rest of the dancers. She had such a voluminous mane that even though it was tied up in several loops atop her head, it still cascaded down past her shoulders.
With one brow raised, she sized Crystal up by looking her over from head to hoof before she smiled. "I'm Perennial, the true prima of this troupe."
Crystal paused. She glanced at Velvet, who was looking purposefully straight ahead, then back at the mare whose expression and tone toed the line between cordial and intimidating. "I see. I look forward to seeing your performance, Perennial."
Perennial's tail snapped in the air as she turned around with all the grace and fluidity befitting of a prima. "Oh, I would be surprised if even our dear little Velvet could get you tickets. We are a very elite group, you know. Our shows always sell out."
When the mare was out of earshot, Crystal whispered to Velvet, "Aren't you headlining as Kitri this tour, too?"
Velvet walked forward, her shoulders rolling in a casual shrug. "I am. It's not a permanent position, though. Come on, let me introduce you to Nightingale!"
A tawny brown mare's ears perked and her head turned. "That's me!" she chirped. "Hi there!" She offered a hoof. "You're Crystal Wishes, right?"
Crystal smiled and shook hooves. "I am."
"Velvet said you're some kinda writer, yeah?" Nightingale smiled. "Ocean Starlight writes some poetry. You should talk to her while we have some downtime on the train. She could use, well, a real writer's perspective, yanno?"
The three chatted for a while until the train pulled up and boarded one by one, Crystal bringing up the rear. She stopped to look out at the castle at the far side of the city, standing stalwart and vigilant over its citizens. It had always been somewhat of a comforting protector, but at that moment, she blamed it for the necessity of Silent's mission.
She turned her back on the castle and looked at the train that hissed steam which promised two weeks of seeing new places and meeting new ponies. Two weeks of distractions. Renewed by the thought and ushered on by Velvet's calls, she bade Canterlot farewell by stepping onto the train.
While Velvet's time was taken up by the other mares, Crystal took her seat toward the back of the car that was reserved for the troupe. She watched them as they practiced in the open space available, each mare more coordinated and limber than she'd ever be.
The train whistled and jolted forward to pull out of the station. Her gaze turned toward the window to see Canterlot slowly slipping further away until they rounded a bend and it disappeared behind the mountain the city was set against.
"Excited?" Velvet asked, plopping down into the seat beside her, dabbing her forehead with a wet cloth.
"I don't know if I'm excited just yet." Crystal smiled at her. "But I'm not dreading it."
Velvet laughed and shook her head. "I swear, you're impossible to please!" Her smile widened into a grin. "I brought that Carrots in a Blender game, if you want to have a rematch."
"All right, but don't complain if you don't win this time!" Crystal shifted to face Velvet while the mare retrieved the game and started to set it up in the space between them.
A few, evenly matched rounds of Carrots in a Blender went by, slowly attracting members of Velvet's troupe until they had a crowd of eight ponies around them. Crystal brought out her copy of Timberwolf and Velvet protested, but the interest of the other mares drowned out her pleas and they played long into the evening. Velvet enjoyed herself more than normal, given that her peers played at her level rather than with the skill of Silent the Strategist or Luna the Schemer.
Finally, after several hours of playing different card games, the crowd dispersed to retreat to the sleeping car. Crystal and Velvet stayed behind to put away the game, then just sat in companionable silence.
A yawn escaped Velvet and she slipped off the seat. "I'm going to bed. Look before you climb into a bunk and make sure you don't get too cozy with one of my dancers, okay?" She giggled and waved. "And don't stay up too late."
"I won't. Good night." Crystal smiled up at her, then returned to looking out the window, the smile falling once she was alone.
Crystal watched the night sky that loomed over the horizon. The sparkling stars seemed rather dim to her that night, though she felt a little guilty for thinking such, as she knew Luna cherished each and every one. A crescent moon swam in the sea of deep blues and purples, the same shape as the one in Silent's cutie mark. Somewhere out there, that very cutie mark was beneath the same pale moonlight, preparing to go off and do who only knew what sort of vague mission.
She sighed and slumped in her seat, gazing up at that moon. "I hope you'll be safe," she whispered, touching her hoof to the glass, seeming to caress the moon from her perspective. "Please be safe…"
new chapter
Well, this'll be interesting.
I feel like I should put this here, just because.
Daww, its so cute. Even the title names match!
Kidding aside, that was a fun chapter. Always nice to see how things happen from Crystal's point of view. Also, really, we need a Runic and Miley story, because there's just too much room for hilarity between those two.
And someone's thinking of Crystal. And loving her tonight.
Aww...
Another great chapter.
Well, at least Crystal won't be alone this time. I don't think she would have survived 2 weeks of no Silent AND no Velvet.
5977779 It isn't required by any means, but just as this story shows things both from another perspective and also ones that just don't happen in Memoirs, the same goes for Memoirs and this story, vice versa'd. It is much more focused on the royal guard and Luna, so if either of those things interest you, then I think you should!
I suspect that now would be a bad time for CW to hear this song, but it was in my head the whole time.
The loveline is still strong!
*darth vader voice* The love is strong with this one.
Anyway this was a touching chapter and it actually brought tears to my eyes about how she took Silent leaving. it is good that velvet is getting her out of the house though. I think lovey does know who the line goes to at this point, she just doesn't want to spoil it.
These next few chapters are going to be a bitch to read, I'm really gonna feel them.
5977779 Hell yes you should. Wishes without Memoirs is like Batman without Robin.
What sick-o puts a carrot in a blender, is what I want to know!
5978632 Well, Memoirs is very much ahead, so a lot of Memoirs readers had the joy of having no idea what was going on on this side of the fence, so... I won't lie, it'll be nice having a reader of my own that doesn't know what's going to happen! The Memoirs folks know, obviously, but... A few people being held in suspense is nice! Plus, Memoirs isn't going anywhere, after all. It'll be there when you're ready!
I had a lot feels being felt near the end there with Crystal's reaction and worry about Silent leaving for his mission it was very heartwarming to see her care so deeply for him. Great chapter as always Crystal can't wait for the next
5978632 I did the reverse and started with Memoirs. I went from wondering what was up with Crystal to wanting to drag the pair together a la Lovey Dovey.
Only if you want it to be that way, Crystal. Only if you want it to be.
Also, that might be a helluva' thing to do for Silent.
5978847 Oh, well, then, I guess I'm playing both her and Anzel.
I'm such a little whore~ lol
5978847 One day I'll be as cool as Crystal (I'm totally teasing).
5978880 Oh it's fine. Crystal and I don't mind sharing.
5978904 Relevant:
5978904
Crystal> has 184 followers
Anzel> has 256 followers
Crystal> has 266 upvotes
Anzel> has 698 & 281 upvotes
Verdict: Let me have this one victory! (I'm totally
notteasing)I tried to be that for you! But the temptation grew too strong!
5977519
5977562 That gives me a little bit of goosebumps, just knowing what's going to happen and how that relates!
5977579 Aggh, I know, right? Hehehe. I am kind of infatuated with the parallel titles. I don't plan for that to happen too often, but this one just needed to be companion titles.
5977591 I think a song and dance would have significantly improved the chapter! And, yes, in my head I imagined Miley getting upset when she read the article. Any mention of alchemical shenanigans would obviously be Runic! But who is this mare?! She'd storm to the shop, all ready to give him a piece of her mind, j'accuse! and all, and... "*somewhat meekly* Runic, what's this?"
5977598 It helps to think they might be wishing on the same bright star!
5977629 It's a little bit of a bittersweet chapter, but hopefully the traveling will bring some fun!
5977665 Thank you so much!
5977773 Who knows what chaos Velvet might have come back to, given last time...
5977820 Yes, that would be very accurate... and definitely not something Crystal would want to listen to! Let's hope her story ends better than that, though!
5977843 So sayeth Lovey! It must be true!
5978150 I'm really honored that my writing moved you in such a way. It was a little rough to write, but we (without Memoirs spoilers) don't know what mission he's on... so maybe she's just overreacting... As for Lovey... Who knows what she knows! She's a mystery, that one!
5978377 We have a little bit of content before that happens but, well... Also, maybe more like Robin without Batman, but I'll dream for a little while that I could be the Batman!
5978385 A sick-o that is obsessed with moustaches, mayhaps.
5978635 Interesting is a word for it indeed! And, well, Carrots in a Blender is a MLP-safe parody of Kittens in a Blender, so you can play it, you'll just have to pretend the kittens are carrots...
5978698 Thank you! I hoped her reaction would land correctly just on the 'touching' side of things without being unrealistic, so I'm going to take your reaction as a success!
5978867 Ahhgh*sputter* *ahem* Yes. Yes, I dare say that might be one way to get is attention. "Hey, stud, see this? *makes a C shape with her hooves to her forehead* And this isn't all I can do."
5978880 This legitimately made me laugh aloud.
5978987 Well, I guess I did forget that you're only reading up to where we are in Memoirs, or did you crack and read ahead? For some reason, I thought you cracked. Oh, well. A reader and a half of my own!
5979012
To the first: I can see that and Runic going "... Oh, hey! It's about Crystal and me! *smiling obliviously and wondering why the little voices in his head are telling him to run*"
To the second: compositiontoday.com/admin/rt3/ckfinder/userfiles/images/taking-a-bow.jpg I aim to please!
5979012
Yes! I confess, I cracked!
I cracked like a toilet at a weight watchers convention!
I snapped like a twig roasting a hundred-pound hot dog!
I burst like the zipper on my old motorcycle jacket!
I broke worse than the Obama Care roll-out!
I... I think you get the idea!
5979012 Why, of course. :P Just keep her away from Wingpony. The line would be blinding. :3
Wow. I can't wait to see what happens next. This is going to be sweet.
Well, this story has sufficiently pulled on my heartstrings. I wish I didn't know what was gonna happen next... Stupid me deciding to read the ENTIRE Silent Knight story before this one was finished. Oh, well... I haven't read the second one, so there should still be surprises for me if you continue where Silent's 1st story ends.
Loving the "mare's point of view," though. Love it to bits.
5979105 It should be fun even for Memoirs readers, given that it was never discussed what Crystal did while Silent was away!
5979137 Yes, it would have been nice if I had been able to match Anzel's breakneck writing speed and been able to post the chapters side-by-side, but it is what it is. My hope is that Crystal's perspective will still be different and interesting enough, despite the outcome being known, that I can continue to tug on those heartstrings even if they know what's going to happen! Also, it means a lot to me that this story can have an emotional impact such as said tugging on heartstrings. It means I'm doing something right and that makes me feel very humbled and proud! So, thank you for commenting!
5979012 If that one'll give you goose bumps, try these.
5978385
The sicko that likes their carrots — boiled in broth with spices — rendered down and mixed with carrot juice and cumin before ladling into a bowl and dolloping with plain, Greek-style yogurt. And who likes carrots that aren't theirs the exact same way.
Tell me, Rossby Waves. Have you checked on your carrots today? Are they still where you left them? Take your time, of course!
I'll just be getting this pot of vegetable stock up to temperature....
5979418 Y-you... You monster! ;A;
41.media.tumblr.com/90acf174eedfc59017c4d16cbc424ce2/tumblr_nh9osjWczF1rxa2k2o1_500.png
5979459
bit.ly/1Fo3Uu2
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"Please come home." You know, reading Memoirs when it's so far ahead. It honestly made this chapter a punch in the gut. You get us so invested in your characters and then... well, I know what's going to happen. Seeing how this will play out from Crystal's perspective.... it honestly hurts. I love how powerful you've made her fear. I love how powerful you've made the impact. It was amazing.
And on a side note, names! Totally just throwing these out there, because I've got to have some fun after this more serious chapter:
Moonlight Dancer
Silent Dreams
Velvet Step (Had to put her in due to her already in the Corps, even if we already know and lover her)
Flying Grace
Clear Nights
Nightingale
Purity
Radiant Diamond
Jewel
Ocean Starlight
River Flow
etc.
NAMES OF ELEGANCE AWAIT! Sorry, had to have a bit of fun and lighten my mood after the tone of this chapter.
5979409 Lest we forget. Those are amazing videos.
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Edit: Is there a problem with the video on your end?
5979610 No problems. I'm receiving it.
5979012 I didn't mean to imply that one story was the lesser, it was just the best example I could think of off the top of my head.
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Crystal: "Ever seen a mare shaped like a pretzel?"
Silent: "Bwuh...?!"
Crystal: "Too forward?"
i.imgur.com/9UzA7Bg.jpg
Is it bad that I'm starting to root for another threesome ending? I mean, I know it's not gonna happen, but Crystal and Velvet are just too cute together.
On an unrelated note, I feel like this is Crystal's theme song right now. Especially in moments like the beginning of the chapter. The lunar imagery is the icing on the cake.
5979545 I'm really glad that I could convey these feelings through words. This greatly pleases me, even if those feelings are a punch in the gut. And, I'll definitely sneak some of those names in for sure, just to help lighten your spirits next chapter!
5979656 Eep, sorry, I wasn't trying to be contrary. Bad sense of humor. You're fine, don't mind me!
5979724 Eheh...hahaha! Poor Crystal, I could see her working on her flexibility, getting over-excited, and taking it too far. And ending up in a hospital. Great first date!
5979850 They do seem to be a fan favorite OTP. Admittedly, there are some scenes (like that one) where the rabid shipper in me squeals "OTP!!" But I guess in your case it's "OT3!!" I will have to listen to that song when I get off the iPad and onto a real device, but I look forward to it! I have been feeling musical lately, mostly with how emotional things are and are going to be...
5980373 That is definitely a bit of a flub! Thanks for pointing it out!
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A possibly lighter chapter after this super heavy one! Heavier for those who've read Memoirs already. And I get naming influence!
And I love the fact you get us that invested and convey such feelings through your stories as well, even if if does sometimes hurt. Crystal's Wishes is awesome like that! Also, before I forget, if she's going to Baltimare, I suddenly had this image of her singing Good Morning Baltimare, with her hair done up in some huge updo to pass the time while Velvet is performing or at practice.
Oh gosh, the feeling of not knowing if a loved one may or may not come back from a battle is a very scary and depressing feeling. I suppose that will be something that will keep our fair Crystal awake at night...At the very least, she doesn't have to be alone this time. Taking a ride with her friend whilst on her tour should be a great and interesting experience Crystal.
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She'd be like Twilight in chapter four of How to Court Alicorns: A Human's Guide, "Step Four: Always pay for lunch (Even If You Can't Afford It)," when Twilight's trying to imitate Cadance. Cadance herself is pretty funny too...
5980356 It's all good. In fact, reading through Memoirs first really made this chapter more of a kick in the teeth. It's really sweet how concerned Crystal is, and it makes it even more suspenseful knowing what happens later on, it will probably be MORE interesting to read from this point of view.
Now that I've had time to think on it, I'd say that rather than Batman without Robin, Wishes without Memoirs is like Holmes without Moriarty.
Silent Knight, Crystal Wishes, and Iridescence.
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